[Morphological functional analysis of the femora and tibiae of Quercy "Adapis": recognition of five morphological types].
The study of 13 partial femora and 3 tibiae from late Eocene Quercy localities (France) confirms the distinction of the two adapinine genera Adapis and Palaeolemur. The femora come from both new (Rosières 2 and Escamps) and old collections (of uncertain provenance). They allow the distinction of 5 morphological groups, whose morphological characteristics are functionally explained. Adapis and Palaeolemur show strong similarities to some small living platyrrhines (Saimiri, Cebus, Aotus) and much less to lorisines. Type 1 and type 2 were probably branch walking and running forms, using climbing less frequently. Types 4 and 5 were probably less specialized for running and used climbing more frequently. These relatively close 4 types are interpreted as 4 species of Adapis. Type 3 is associated with the only species known from Escamps, Palaeolemur betillei. This last species appears to have been predominantly a climber, however, without the morphological specializations of the posterior limb associated with slow climbing in lorisines.
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Laboratoire d'Anthropologie biologique, Musée de l'Homme, UMR 152 du CNRS, Paris, France.
Godinot
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D000818:Animals; D002427:Cebidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005580:Fossils; D005602:France; D008124:Locomotion; D010163:Paleontology; D011323:Primates / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking
Analyse morphofonctionnelle des fémurs et des tibias des "Adapis" du Quercy: mise en évidence de cinq types morphologiques.